MS ELLIOT: Settling in brings even more questions about new town

SO, we’re beginning to settle in a little now. We have a regular corner shop where we can pick up milk and newspapers, and they greet us with a disgruntled humph – so it feels like home!

I’m still doing research on two really key areas and perhaps, kind readers, you can help me out?

Firstly – church. One of the taxi drivers told me that Worthing has more churches per square mile than any other location in the UK.

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If this is true, I suppose it must be because of the numbers of senior Worthingites who are hoping to put in a good word before they go and meet the big man, personally.

But I want to find a church for people of all ages.

I’m not personally particularly religious, but – and I’m guessing that I’m like a lot of people – I do think that there are some good moral lessons to be learned from the Bible stories. And I suppose I’d like my little boy to have a good knowledge of some of the “classic tales”, such as Noah’s Ark and what Christmas and Easter are really about.

It would be great to find a friendly church that welcomes children and, preferably, has a Sunday school. Please drop me a line if you have any thoughts on this, folks.

My second research area is really tricky: nurseries.

Wow. There are so many different types and they seem to be offering such different experiences. From baby rooms to toddler mornings, I’m feeling perplexed about how to approach this topic.

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Some are preschools, some are nurseries, some are attached to schools – the sheer range gives me a headache! And I hear there is even one special nursery – the first of it’s kind in the UK – which has a webcam in every room.

Apparently, parents can watch online while they are (supposedly) working and talk to the nursery staff through headsets.

I can’t imagine how hard this must be for the staff: “My child is crying, comfort her, please.”

And I don’t know if I’d find it a comfort to be able to tune in and watch what my little angel is up to at any given moment.

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If he wants to just sit and pick his nose, shouldn’t he have the right to do so in privacy? There are lots of nurseries in Worthing – some people have told me that this is proof of the changing demographic of the town.

More younger people who like Brighton but find it out of their price range and looking for a quieter life. Brighton is all very well for teenagers, but Worthing is a place for people who like to enjoy a cup of tea by the seaside. Is there anything wrong with that?

Please get in touch with your suggestions.

Ms Elliot is a writer, traveller and creative type. Mother of one and a disastrous cook, she is a native Londoner but has lived in the South Pacific, South America, North America... and now Worthing. She will be sharing her experiences as she finds her feet in her new home in a new town. You can follow her on Twitter:@MsElliot1

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